Black Forest

So I see lots of people disappointed with the Black Forest tour on the Rhine. What would you suggest we do instead?

We were docked in Strasbourg. Having a full day to explore on our own was fantastic!

Like you, I've read so many reviews of people saying it was very disappointing. I'd love to see the area but I'm not willing to pay that kind of money and have a good chance of being disappointed. So, we're staying in Strasbourg after lunch and going to the Museum Alsacien near the Petite France area. There are some other interesting looking museums in that area and I've read that it's easy to use the tram system to get back to the ship, so that's what we'll do.

A number of years ago we went to Badin Badin from Strasbourg on a train trip through France. Enjoyed it but will not go back to the Black Forest area on our river cruise next week. We will just stay in Strasbourg all day. . It is a lovely city and worth more than a half day. Last time we did the river cruise within the (very good but don't need to do it again) but this time we will do the walking tour. And then just do our own thing!

Hello avewal4,

So I see lots of people disappointed with the Black Forest tour on the Rhine. What would you suggest we do instead?

as you have not given your cruise line and itinerary, I would like to give you an answer just as an example that applies if you are travelling with Viking on a Rhine Getaway cruise from Basel to Amsterdam. The included tour to the Black Forest is in the morning when you dock in Breisach.

Just over on the other side of the Rhine is Neuf-Brisach, famous for its fortifications. A town that is on my bucket list.

Alternatively you can take the train from Breisach to Freiburg, an old university town on the outskirts of the Black Forest region. Do-able in a morning. I enjoyed Freiburg on a land trip.

The Black Forest region is interesting for its unique landscape, I quite like it, but I can understand that a coach trip of that length is not for everyone.

The website for Breisach is: http://tourismus.breisach.de/de/geschichte-kultur/stadtbesichtigung (I had some hiccups with the settings of the pages, but that might be because my computer's "internal" language is German)

Or look it up on wikipedia in English. Something might spark your interest.

notamermaid

Hello avewal4,

 

, I would like to give you an answer just as an example that applies if you are travelling with Viking on a Rhine Getaway cruise from Basel to Amsterdam. The included tour to the Black Forest is in the morning when you dock in Breisach.

 

notamermaid

As always notamermaid, thanks for being here to add local knowledge to our questions. We are on the Rhine Getaway in August and our stop at Breisach is on a Sunday morning. I have a general impression that most shops would be closed and of course the churches will be in use, so we were going to take the offered Black Forest tour. I know it sounds touristy ( we are tourists of course) but it appears you can opt for a woodland walk up to a waterfall rather than than the clock making demo. And honestly, I've read quite a few trip reports that say the trip was enjoyable.

Then the afternoon optional excursion to Colmar is a must do according to everyone.

Thanks again,

FM

I can only answer to a Viking excursion so not sure this fits in with this conversation. Yes, we docked in Breisach in the morning and the shore excursion to Colmar was in the morning. By noon everyone was back onboard for lunch and then the Black Forest trip took place. I too, found the Black Forest trip interesting for it's scenery. True, the buses stop at a cuckoo clock place and the clocks are very expensive. Now, when we returned to the boat it was no longer tied up in Breisach but had moved upstream. It picked up 3 busloads of people and that was it. It was kind of in the middle of nowhere. I'm not sure how one could stay in Strasbourg and catch back up to the boat on this stop. Depending on direction I guess you could go on to Basel but not sure the logistics would be worth it in the long run.

Thanks for all the input. We will be on the Viking Idi on the Rhine Getaway from Basel to Amsterdam.

I can only answer to a Viking excursion so not sure this fits in with this conversation. Yes, we docked in Breisach in the morning and the shore excursion to Colmar was in the morning. By noon everyone was back onboard for lunch and then the Black Forest trip took place. I too, found the Black Forest trip interesting for it's scenery. True, the buses stop at a cuckoo clock place and the clocks are very expensive. Now, when we returned to the boat it was no longer tied up in Breisach but had moved upstream. It picked up 3 busloads of people and that was it. It was kind of in the middle of nowhere. I'm not sure how one could stay in Strasbourg and catch back up to the boat on this stop. Depending on direction I guess you could go on to Basel but not sure the logistics would be worth it in the long run.

Not all lines stop at Breisach, we did not. FWIW, Breisach is a farther from Baden-Baden than is Strasbourg.

We went with Grand Circle, docked in Strasbourg overnight. First day was the city tour with the afternoon being a choice of an Alsatian Tour to Riquewihr and the Stork Center or free time in Strasbourg. The next day was the optional tour to the Black Forest and Baden-Baden or on your own.

Hello avewal4,

 

 

 

as you have not given your cruise line and itinerary, I would like to give you an answer just as an example that applies if you are travelling with Viking on a Rhine Getaway cruise from Basel to Amsterdam. The included tour to the Black Forest is in the morning when you dock in Breisach.

 

Just over on the other side of the Rhine is Neuf-Brisach, famous for its fortifications. A town that is on my bucket list.

 

Alternatively you can take the train from Breisach to Freiburg, an old university town on the outskirts of the Black Forest region. Do-able in a morning. I enjoyed Freiburg on a land trip.

 

The Black Forest region is interesting for its unique landscape, I quite like it, but I can understand that a coach trip of that length is not for everyone.

 

The website for Breisach is: http://tourismus.breisach.de/de/geschichte-kultur/stadtbesichtigung (I had some hiccups with the settings of the pages, but that might be because my computer's "internal" language is German)

 

Or look it up on wikipedia in English. Something might spark your interest.

 

notamermaid

How doable is the train from Breisach to Colmar? Would a half day be adequate, or would a full day be better.

We were on Avalon in December and we docked at Breisach. My husband and I didn't want to do the coach tour to see cuckoo clocks, so we walked up to see the cathedral and the view in Breisach and then spent the rest of the day in luxurious solitude on the river boat! (well, some staff were there and there might have been a few other people - but not many! And we were rafted with two other boats so I had fun walking the top decks and looking at the differences:p)

A number of years ago we went to Badin Badin from Strasbourg on a train trip through France. Enjoyed it but will not go back to the Black Forest area on our river cruise next week. We will just stay in Strasbourg all day. . It is a lovely city and worth more than a half day. Last time we did the river cruise within the (very good but don't need to do it again) but this time we will do the walking tour. And then just do our own thing!

We're on Vantage Navigator Amsterdam-Basel in August and I had originally purchased the optional trip to the Black Forest while in Strasbourg. I was a little put off by the description as being a visit to a fancy hotel/resort with a black forest cake demonstration and then shopping at one of the largest shops in area for cuckoo clocks, etc. Since I already purchased a cuckoo clock last time I was in Germany, and while I love my clock I could not stand to have another one in the house! Then I saw this post and realized that we would be going through the Black Forest the next day on our visit to Baden-Baden. Based on my fellow CC comments I have cancelled my excursion and will stay in Strasbourg for the day. :D

We were on Avalon in December and we docked at Breisach. My husband and I didn't want to do the coach tour to see cuckoo clocks, so we walked up to see the cathedral and the view in Breisach and then spent the rest of the day in luxurious solitude on the river boat! (well, some staff were there and there might have been a few other people - but not many! And we were rafted with two other boats so I had fun walking the top decks and looking at the differences:p)

i wish we had done that on our March cruise on a Viking…..quite frankly the "cuckoo Tour" was the only disappointment on our cruise, but it was a big one.

We were on Avalon in December and we docked at Breisach. My husband and I didn't want to do the coach tour to see cuckoo clocks, so we walked up to see the cathedral and the view in Breisach and then spent the rest of the day in luxurious solitude on the river boat! (well, some staff were there and there might have been a few other people - but not many! And we were rafted with two other boats so I had fun walking the top decks and looking at the differences:p)

I did that on one of the ports on Gateway to the Black Sea. I was the ONLY passenger on the ship and soon all of us were referring to the Navigator as "My boat"!! What I enjoyed though was they were laying on stores and I got to watch this truck unload what looked like a warehouse full of toilet paper, wine and groceries and everyone (and I mean everyone who worked on that ship except the captain) formed a chain from the truck to the bow and passed this stuff (threw it actually) onto the ship. The Captain was standing next to me on the top deck and he answered all my questions about how much food and how often they restock. It was really interesting and I'm glad I didn't miss it.

Viking offers an optional excursion from Breisach to Colmar that many have really enjoyed. As CPT Trips mentioned, I wonder how easy it would be to go there instead of the cuckoo clock tourist trap? I don't think all lines offer the Colmar option.

Viking offers an optional excursion from Breisach to Colmar that many have really enjoyed. As CPT Trips mentioned, I wonder how easy it would be to go there instead of the cuckoo clock tourist trap? I don't think all lines offer the Colmar option.

Our Avalon cruise stops in Strasbourg for a morning walk then we have the option of Black Forest (not doing that) or Colmar. Should we save our $$ and stay in Strasbourg or go to Colmar??

I don't think you can go wrong by staying in Strasbourg. But, I have to qualify that by saying I have never been to Colmar. Strasbourg is fantastic, but I can't compare the two.

I don't think you can go wrong by staying in Strasbourg. But, I have to qualify that by saying I have never been to Colmar. Strasbourg is fantastic, but I can't compare the two.

I'll let you know in Sept....Vantage is going to Colmar.

I'll let you know in Sept....Vantage is going to Colmar.

And Strasbourg?

Our Avalon cruise stops in Strasbourg for a morning walk then we have the option of Black Forest (not doing that) or Colmar. Should we save our $$ and stay in Strasbourg or go to Colmar??

I don't think you can go wrong by staying in Strasbourg. But, I have to qualify that by saying I have never been to Colmar. Strasbourg is fantastic, but I can't compare the two.

I'm with CPT Trips. Strasbourg is fantastic!

It's a great place to spend a day. Wander the streets, enjoy the view from the canals, window shop, climb the cathedral spire, stop in a café for tarte flambée... Yes, I'd go back tomorrow if I could! Here are a few links to some pictures that I posted when we were there last year:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=42466839&postcount=14

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=42466934&postcount=15

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=42473164&postcount=20

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=42473258&postcount=21

Our Avalon cruise stops in Strasbourg for a morning walk then we have the option of Black Forest (not doing that) or Colmar. Should we save our $$ and stay in Strasbourg or go to Colmar??

I have a friend that lives in Stuttgart and she loves Colmar, so if you have the morning in Strasbourg I'd then take the afternoon tour of Colmar.

Hello Francis M,

As always notamermaid, thanks for being here to add local knowledge to our questions. We are on the Rhine Getaway in August and our stop at Breisach is on a Sunday morning. I have a general impression that most shops would be closed and of course the churches will be in use, so we were going to take the offered Black Forest tour. I know it sounds touristy ( we are tourists of course) but it appears you can opt for a woodland walk up to a waterfall rather than than the clock making demo. And honestly, I've read quite a few trip reports that say the trip was enjoyable.

Then the afternoon optional excursion to Colmar is a must do according to everyone.

Thanks again,

FM

Thank you for your kind words.

As Breisach is a tourist town they could be exempt from Sunday trading laws, i.e. be allowed to open. Which would not be before 11am, though, normally. Of course, churches are open for worshippers, meaning you can sit quietly, but not walk around.

There was a post here on CC last year about the walk up to the waterfall being very nice.

And Colmar, well, always worth a visit. :)

Have fun planning and enjoy your cruise.

notamermaid

How doable is the train from Breisach to Colmar? Would a half day be adequate, or would a full day be better.

According to Deutsche Bahn there is no train connection, you take a bus that runs Mondays to Fridays only. The journey takes 48 minutes one way.

You might have more luck researching this through a European train travel website. Especially as the aftermath of the strikes are effecting my research on Deutsche Bahn. :(

It looks as if it could be awkward to get to Colmar. Freiburg, being on a direct route from Breisach, is easy.

notamermaid

I have a friend that lives in Stuttgart and she loves Colmar, so if you have the morning in Strasbourg I'd then take the afternoon tour of Colmar.

I enjoyed Colmar. I cannot compare the two Alsatian towns as I have not been to Strasbourg.

If you like medieval art then Colmar might blow you away. Fantastic buildings. The Isenheim altarpiece should not be missed: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isenheim_Altarpiece

notamermaid

Weather mixed here on the Rhine, water level has risen a little.

And Strasbourg?

OOPS...Vantage is going to Cochem not Colmar....definitely Strasbourg. (I seem to be a tad dyslexic this morning)